Hidden Elves

Back in the 1970s, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science hired artist Kent Pendleton to paint the backdrops for many of the museum’s wildlife dioramas. Little did it know that Pendleton’s penchant for hiding tiny mythical creatures in these paintings would add a whole new dimension to the museum experience….It all began with eight elves—or gnomes, or leprechauns, depending who you ask—hidden in Pendleton’s wildlife dioramas. An elf hiding in the lowland river. An elf riding a dinosaur along a cretaceous creekbed. Another elf sat on a rock in the Great Smoky Mountains. And others, hard to spot but definitely there, in various backdrops throughout the museum.

Kent Pendleton is my kind of guy! What a delightful trick, and surely the museum didn’t mind. After all, this would surely entice patrons to linger over the exhibits, even if they pay as much attention to the backdrop paintings as the exhibits themselves.

When these eagle-eyed volunteers began to spot the museum’s incongruous and thoroughly unscientific inhabitants, the whole thing began to snowball. The staff decided to go along with the game, adding more elves and gnomes to the museum….

Wonderful!

Here is one of the pictures — but you should certainly click through and enjoy the others. Unless you’re in Denver. Then you should probably plan an in-person trip. I sure would; I love museums of nature and science.